1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to articles and devices used in religious practices, and particularly to a portable expanding barrier known as a “sutra” or “sutrah” for use by worshippers of the Muslim faith. The barrier serves to protect a space or span directly in front of the worshipper as he or she faces Mecca (Makkah) and the Kaaba shrine during prayer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Muslim faith requires that practitioners pray several times a day, and that they face toward the holy shrine (Kaaba) in Mecca (or Makkah) while praying. Muslims customarily use a prayer rug or mat, upon which they position themselves during prayer. It is also a tenet of Muslim religious law that a Muslim at prayer should not have his or her immediate path trespassed by another during prayer. This is taken to mean that another person should not step immediately in front of a Muslim at prayer, e.g., closer than about one yard or one meter and between the person at prayer and Mecca.
Accordingly, various means have been developed in the past to signify or to provide notice of this protected area. Such devices are known as “sutras” or “sutrahs.” Historically, Muslims have simply placed a stick or similar article in the ground to designate the protected area. More recently, large wooden stands have been developed to serve this purpose, but they are invariably too large, bulky, and massive to be of practicable use for transport.
Various devices have been developed in the past for assisting the Muslim at prayer. An example of such is found in International Patent Publication No. 2009/082,992 published on Jul. 9, 2009 to Enerday GMBH. This reference describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a relatively complex electronic device for indicating the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, or Makkah. The device is securely anchored to the underlying surface for use, by a series of screw anchors.
French Patent Publication No. 2,999,402 published on Jun. 20, 2014 to Ayoub Belemlih describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a prayer rug or mat having an integral compass for indicating the direction of Mecca (Makkah) for prayer. The rug is reinforced at points of likely highest wear.
Thus, a portable expanding barrier for Muslim worshippers solving the aforementioned problems is desired.